(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) TOKYO, Nov 14 (KUNA) -- Japan expressed deep concern on Wednesday over an Israeli ground operation into Gaza Strip, calling on all the parties concerned to exercise maximum restraint.
"Japan is deeply concerned about the recent rise of tension in Gaza and the surrounding areas," Foreign Ministry Press Secretary Takeshi Osuga said in a statement.
"Japan firmly believes that the issues facing the two parties, Israel and Palestine, cannot by any means be resolved by violence, and that they can be resolved only through efforts of both sides to build mutual trust and through negotiations between them," said Osuga.
"We urge all parties concerned to exert their maximum efforts toward resuming the peace negotiations," he added.
According to media reports, Palestinian factions in Gaza announced an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire with Israel on Tuesday after their worst violence since the 2014 war. Hamas, which effectively controls Gaza Strip, had fired 460 rockets at Israel since Monday in retaliation for the Israeli military's operation in Gaza Strip on Sunday.
Israeli warplanes launched airstrikes on 160 targets in Gaza. The attacks left at least nine people dead and more than 50 injured. (end) mk.mt
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